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Netflix Makes Canadian Streaming Service Official
As expected, this morning Netflix officially announced its first non-U.S. offering, a streaming-only service in Canada, priced at CDN $7.99, including a 1-month trial. Netflix also announced Canadian content licensing deals with U.S. studios Lionsgate, MGM, Paramount, Sony, 20th Century Fox and Universal, plus Canadian distributors Alliance Films, Maple Pictures, eOne and Mongrel. In particular, Netflix called out the availability of movies like "Superbad," "A Beautiful Mind" and "Slumdog Millionaire" plus back episodes of AMC's "Mad Men" which are not available in the U.S. Conversely, some content available in the U.S. for streaming won't yet be available in Canada.
Categories: Aggregators, International
Topics: Netflix
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Cisco's "LOL" Ad Campaign Showcases Video's Potential
Cisco is further personalizing its "Human Network" tag line with new "LOL" online ads (that's "Laugh Out Loud" for those of you not attuned to texting/tweeting/IM'ing shorthand), that demonstrate the power of video in our lives. I've seen the Cisco LOL banner ad in a number of web sites recently.
The ad links to a video wall that features 10 videos ranging from 15 seconds to a few minutes, with all showcasing new ways that video enriches people's lives and makes work more productive. Specific Cisco products/services highlighted include distance learning, telepresence, Webex, digital signage, Flip videocameras and Show and Share. The only celebrities featured are Magic Johnson and Ellen Page, with the latter's video a replay of her TV ad. While it's tempting to think of online video as being all about media, the Cisco wall shows there are many other uses.
Categories: Advertising
Topics: Cisco, ExtendMedia
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Intel's CEO is Bullish on Google TV, Less So on Apple TV
Intel CEO Paul Otellini is plenty bullish on Google TV. In a short video interview with CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow, he praises Google TV's vision, saying that "we're just at the beginning of the smart TV revolution" and that "the holy grail here is a seamless proactive integration of this content." Of course, Otellini has a vested stake in Google TV's success as Intel is supplying its Atom chip to power Google TV.
Otellini is decidedly more bullish on Google TV than he is on Apple TV, though he's cautious in noting that Apple is an Intel customer too. He says that Apple TV is "a streaming device for protected content, and there's a market for that," but quickly adds, "I think there's a bigger market for a deeper integration of the Internet into content." I think he's right on both accounts. It depends on what the user values - an open Internet experience on their TV, or a closed, but easy-to-use way of accessing a high-quality library (not to mention the price for each). There isn't one right answer, yet anyway. See "For Connected Devices, To Browse or Not to Browse - That is the Question" for a deeper discussion.
Categories: Devices, People, Technology
Topics: Apple TV, Google TV, Intel
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New Net Neutrality Ad Campaign Draws in Google's Co-Founders
When it comes to net neutrality, I've learned to expect the unexpected, as any sense of a formal process was long-ago abandoned in favor of an ad hoc free-for-all by interested parties. That was epitomized by the recent partnership between Google and Verizon which joined up to go rogue by proposing their own net neutrality recommendations in August. Though they thought they were moving the ball forward on the issue, they were promptly scorched by net neutrality advocates for endorsing vague private Internet lanes and exempting wireless from any new regulations.
Now the latest chapter in the net neutrality battle is unfolding with an online ad campaign, featuring an online petition directed to Google's co-founders
Sergey Brin and Larry Page, to live up to Google's corporate motto "don't be evil" by walking away from the Verizon deal. The campaign is funded by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and other advocacy groups like MoveOn and Free Press. The petition's web site states that over 334,000 people have signed on so far. Ironically the ads are being bought through Google itself, and on Facebook.
Categories: Broadband ISPs, Regulation, Telcos
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Netflix Launching Canadian Streaming Service on Wednesday
It looks like Netflix is set to launch its streaming-only service in Canada this Wednesday, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, which says CEO
Reed Hastings will do the unveiling in Toronto. Netflix announced on July 19th that it would launch in Canada, its first non-U.S. market.
There are pros and cons to Netflix entering the Canada without offering DVDs-by-mail. The main pros are that Netflix avoids the expense associated with both building out the DVD warehouses/delivery centers and the postage expense to send discs. The cons are that the content selection will be drastically lower than what's available in the U.S., which could disappoint Canadians eager to have the same American service. Even though Netflix has been aggressively adding to its streaming catalog, it's still a fraction of what's on DVD. And it's not clear yet whether all the streaming deals Netflix has recently cut include Canadian distribution rights.
Hastings has been candid in the past that Netflix will proceed cautiously with international expansion. There are a lot of new variables outside the U.S., including competition. Over the weekend there was a report that Amazon may be looking to acquire the remaining part of U.K.'s LoveFilm that it doesn't already own.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).
Categories: Aggregators, International
Topics: Amazon, LOVEFiLM, Netflix
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CNBC Missing Out By Not Livestreaming Obama Town Hall
President Obama is in the middle of a town hall, hosted by CNBC, from the Newseum in Washington, DC. The town hall is on CNBC on TV, but oddly, it is not being livestreamed. That's a missed opportunity for CNBC, which could be attracting lots of online users who don't happen to have easy access to a TV. Live blogging something is just not the same! In fact, it was odd for me to have to swivel my chair to turn on the TV; that's how accustomed I've become to expecting big events like this to be livestreamed.Categories: Cable Networks, Live Streaming
Topics: CNBC
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Sezmi Snags Another $17.3M; Positioned for Shift to Affordable Pay-TV Service?
Late last week Sezmi, the startup pay-TV replacement provider raised another $17.3M, bringing its total raised to date to $92M. Sezmi has intrigued me from the start both because of its clever hybrid broadcast/broadband delivery
architecture and its ability to be a full substitute for existing pay-TV services. Now, as Sezmi is poised to begin expanding is rollout, its value-pricing approach could find its mark with recession-weary consumers.
As I described last week in "Are Pay-TV Providers Getting Hit By a Perfect Storm in Q3?" increasingly expensive incumbent pay-TV services are up against a belt-tightening process that households across America are going through. While cable and satellite now eat up 1.4% of discretionary spending, negative income growth, higher savings rates and chronic unemployment/under-employment are forcing many households to re-evaluate their entertainment spending. Forking over $80, $100 or even $200+ per month to their cable, telco or satellite provider is no doubt coming under closer scrutiny.
Categories: Aggregators, Cable Networks, Cable TV Operators, Devices
Topics: SezMi
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5 Items of Interest for the Week of Sept. 13th
It's Friday and that means once again VideoNuze is featuring 5-6 interesting online/mobile video industry stories that we weren't able to cover this week. Read them now or take them with you for the weekend. Enjoy!
Meet YouTube's Most In-Demand Brand Stars
A fascinating look at how major brands are hiring amateurs who have gained large followings on YouTube to pitch their products. The concept of "celebrity spokesperson" is getting redefined in the online video era.
Logitech Revue with Google TV Coming 9/29 for $299, Dish Network Offering Discounts?
We may be less than 2 weeks away from Logitech's "Revue," the first implementation of Google TV, hitting the market, with Dish Network subscribers possibly getting a deeply discounted $179 offer. The connected device space is increasingly crowded and there's high anticipation to see how Google TV stacks up.
Pre-order a Boxee Box Now
Speaking of connected devices, Boxee announced this week that pre-ordering is available from Amazon for its Boxee Box connected device, manufactured by D-Link. Like Google TV, but unlike Apple TV or Roku, Boxee offers the prospect of browsing the full Internet for video, not just what's been integrated with the device.
Samsung Reveals Tablet Launch Plans
Meanwhile the strongest potential competitor to the iPad, Samsung's "Tab" will begin shipping in just a few weeks, with availability from all 4 major U.S. wireless carriers. The Tab is very focused on mobile video, running Android 2.2 which supports Flash 10.1. That means Hulu and all other Flash-based video should work, significantly expanding the universe of choices beyond what is available on the iPad. No pricing yet, but the Tab looks like a meaningful iPad alternative.
Ivi Seeks to Become an Online Cable System
Can an online service retransmit network TV through the Internet, and charge for it without having any underlying agreements in place with the networks themselves? That's what Ivi, which unveiled its software this week, is attempting to do, pointing to U.S. copyright law as making its offer legit. We'll see; with TV networks gaining no new revenue coming in plus the risk of cannibalization we should expect them to raise vigorous legal challenges.
Categories: Aggregators, Brand Marketing, Broadcasters, Devices, Mobile Video
Topics: Boxee, D-Link, Google TV, Ivi, Logitech, Samsung, YouTube
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